When flooding happens, here are ways you can weather the storm

Chicago Tribune (IL)

May 02-- May 2--Floods, no matter the size, can have a devastating effect on people's homes and property -- and can endanger people who try to drive or walk through them. They can develop slowly or quickly, and flash floods can strike without warning. Heavy rainfall often results in widespread street and river flooding across portions of northern Illinois.

Flooding typically occurs when prolonged rain falls over several days or when intense rains fall over a short time.

The most common cause of flooding, however, is rain or snowmelt that accumulates faster than soils can absorb it or faster than rivers can carry it away, according to the National Weather Service.

"We always tell communities anywhere it can rain, it can flood," said Cassie Ringsdorf, a Federal Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman.

Here's some information about flooding and ways to guard against flood dangers and damage:

Know the flooding risk in your area, be proactive and get insurance

Flooding isn't typically covered in standard insurance policies, so homeowners should double-check to see if they need to purchase flood insurance, Ringsdorf said.

She urged homeowners and landlords to be aware of what could be done to mitigate any potential flooding damage. And if heavy rains are in the forecast, there are steps property owners can take to alleviate the damage and dangers, including:

--Elevate critical utilities, such as a water heater or furnace, off the basement floor.

--Ensure sump pump is working with a backup battery system.

--Store valuable documents in a safe, dry place.

--Charge your phones and put together an emergency kit in case power gets knocked out.

--Subscribe to emergency weather alerts on your phone.

Don't drive through the water

More people die each year from drowning than from any other thunderstorm-related cause, according to the weather service. About half of those drowning deaths happen when people try to drive through floodwaters, followed by deaths of people trying to wade through or near floodwaters.

A common cause of people getting stuck in their vehicles in railroad-heavy cities like Chicago is drivers trying to get through flooded underpasses -- and having their cars stall out. On more open roads, smaller vehicles can get carried away by just a foot of moving water, while just 2 feet of water can carry off most larger passenger vehicles, according to the weather service.

Help keep streets clear by lowering water use

People concerned with flooding should use less water at home to make space available in local sewer lines, said Kari Steele, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District president..

"If everyone did that, that could be the little amount of water necessary for water to flow to us and not in your basement," she said.

More floods in our future?

A report released in March by a team of Midwestern researchers suggested severe bouts of precipitation and flooding could be the new normal in the Great Lakes region due to climate change.

Three of the top five wettest years on record in Chicago have occurred in the last decade, including last year, which ranked fourth with 49.23 inches of precipitation, according to the weather service.

Great Lakes states have experienced an annual precipitation climb of 10 percent over the last century, with most of the additional precipitation coming in the form of heavy rainfall. Illinois has seen an 11 percent increase in the same period, according to the Illinois State Water Survey. And more precipitation is expected to exacerbate urban flooding and challenge aging infrastructure.

Check the Tribune's weather page for updated forecasts.

Chicago Tribune's Tony Briscoe and Jessica Villagomez contributed.

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